They were sitting on the second floor of the restaurant in the Upper City: it was an arbor made of carved stone, decorated with ivy. It was quiet and fresh here; just some music and noise of crowds reached them from the square.

Tol sprawled in the chair; he took off his cloak and closed his eyes. Enriki sat next to him and smoked thoughtfully. Lis looked down at the square leaning with his cheek against the tracery grate and pushing away the leaves of ivy. Orel put his legs on the table. Nikto, as usual, leaned against the back of the chair; his face was hidden by a black mask. Black glass glimmered in the slits for the eyes. His hands were covered with gloves, the fingertips cut off not to impede his claws.

He smoothened his shaggy hair lazily.

"They went just crazy when seeing me," he drawled.

"They"d gone even crazier had they seen you without your mask," Tol said.

"Never mind, they"d get used," Orel said. "Take off your mask."

"Let the owner bring our drinks first," Nikto objected.

"Don"t mind him."

Nikto pushed the lower part of the mask down slightly and put a cigarette into the opening. "No," he said. "I don"t mind him but I"ve had enough of everyone staring at me."

"And I"ve had enough of talking to a man without a face!"

Nikto stubbed the cigarette harshly and tore off the mask; his face was angry, eyes glaring fiercely. He tossed the mask on the floor.

"Happy now?" He turned away from Orel. Leaning on his elbow on the table, he covered the scarred half of his face with his palm and lit another cigarette.

"Orel, you hurt him," Enriki said.

Orel touched Nikto"s hand that held the cigarette.

"Hey," he said quietly, "I always ask you to take off your mask because I like to see your face, I didn"t mean to hurt your feelings."

"Fine, fine." Nikto took a drag. "I"ve got it. But I"m tired of it: put on the mask, take off the mask, put on the mask, take off…!"

"I"m sorry," Orel said.

"Let him wear it when he feels like," Tol said.

"Then he won"t take it off at all," Orel objected. "It"s made in such a way he doesn"t need to take it off at all. Am I right, Nikto?"

"Yes, you are."